Automatic car and air coupler



May 4, 1954 E. A. LARSSON 2 677, 72.

AUTOMATIC CAR AND AIR COUPLER Filed Aug. 12, 1948 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 I NAll]- H 3' ll ll! 5 F v 24 F163 5s 31;

INVENTOR. ERNST A. LARSSOM ATTORNEYS May 4, 1954 "E. A. LARSSON2,677,472

AUTOMATIC CAR AND AIR COUPLER Filed Aug. 12, 1948 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 52 I7, L73 F1 6. 6

IN V EN TOR;

ERNST A. LARSSONZ TTOENEYS May 4, 1954 'E. A. LARsb AUTOMATIC CARAND AIRCOUPLER Filed Aug. 12, 1948 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 I INVENTOR. F1 0. 17 P10;18 ERNST AI. LARssqN ATTORNEYS Patented May 4, 1954 Annamaria-nanANDuHR-GOUPLERe timea: L'arssom, Mtnsfieldifl ()Iiimfas'sihdflto-Cognpaam ;v eldi differ-w cnrporafiomofmiml'ersey' ApplicatlumAmsfiIZ,1948, Serial No. 43,799.

This; inventibnrehtes. to czm' and". air coupl'm' andflhastparticulanrefrence'vto, coupflenste: eon? nect cars used in mines and aibouteindiistritvli works Such, cars up to now gantieulerlyi those usedinmmines, .havenot bleemequippedmith ariin'limkest but; with therecent-M ihtmdiictionwofi wit lolralsesi onnsucfiicars ithecamenecessary; toipxovide at combined; car. and; amcoupler; where automatic;coupling is desiredi V Qneotthe principaLobjects of-7mminvention is toprovide as coupler. Wfiil'iwill 1 couplewnots only, the adjacent; carsldut'lwifl'; also connect tlie. air lines on. those. oars,,, andlt'o ydo\ sot automatically:

The can coupler is..of;tTie maleandlifmaletyne. as disclosed my UTRtent-2l235",'6 18;and'..the. male coupler is.pnoviddwitEnwans'wherehy:one mi two: cou gledj care may. lie rotatedrelative. to the otflaer.v order. tofinmp the same also. each. coiiplen.is providediwith meansto ali'gmthehsanw. with thelongitudinallarxiszofitl ie ear;

Enrtheizobiect'sand'adwmthges.wilIIappeanandi bebronghtfout zany inthe(specification, ,tefrence, being, had; to the accompanxing; diawingsFigs. 1A ondi 1B; are respectiveli'z, side Vie-W5 i: two couplers eacliskiown as atth'olieditbua caitc bumper. and. held. in. positiom toslie.coup1d,;.tli'e rightkhand coupler, lB; being; ofjth'e, male type;

Big. :2. is .astop view ofjt'wo couplerso'in .fiflISLI'COIl: plied.relation and; eacfi. attached; toja; smgportH asiorinstancethecamrbumper;

Fig.3 is a side-view inelevatioxroftivvo couplers-.- in. coupled.relation andieach'. attacfiewtow adsupr nort'fbrinstancethemantbumper;,

Fig: 41s a partialverticallongitiidinallsectiom of. the, uncoupledmales-coupler tazkemomtheline A?Aoiiiamgnzzx t Fig, .5. is: aivnantialihorizontal longitudinafsece; tion of; the uncoupldjimal; coupler on. theline, "5'of Fig. 1B:

Fig. ,fiise nvartial.transverse.section .ofx'fliemal coupler ontherlineJfi -fi oI'Eig;v 41Sh0Wii1gQtheh swivelsconneotion. between theHead amtdirawe bar. w

Fig. '7 is anartialltransversesectionofthemal Y coupler on the line, T-JoffFi'gg 4 showingfthe" yielding ,locli betiveenythe ,heodia-ndidraw-ban;

8 is a, liorizontalsectionpf 'tliel'ieadf'nortiom only oftheemale.couplen'shown, inAEig, .51 a

9tis athoi'izontallsection;of'thedravw-bax: onlyshow-n irrEigg fin 7 1Gis; a; ventioals s'eotien; oil the, dmwbar only shown in Fig. 4'.

Fig. 11 is; an emerged 1 portion; 'of th arx angementl betweemtne: afn':conduits, shown in:

o. shown in sectionx 1211mm 131 i.s:p\rtwidedc 'I Iie pretrrenmodiifient of invention:

comprises.couplrSiciflthi gnelfal ifyne shown, in UL. 9; Patent No.rzfizsiinaf modified: sflfliiri'tIS tb include; tlie A aiif: connecting;norfibm; Coupler assembl'ies .ofl'tlie genera-1f flypezsliowri tli'ealrioves patent comprising; male; and; female" time Head's; permit of a?very short constffietion Whibfi: qiiite essential in..mine haulage.v andalso, 'fimfli taxes. in. coupling; oncurves of sfioit' falgiii," in:whi'cficaseilie'l lbngitudinaliaxis oritliei ad acentcarsv aredisposedlatlaivenxconsififelme angle;

The femalv counl'eii' n'icompr'is'esi 1n. gjene'rali a: head portion; Ifwitlii an; integrally, connected" cita'w-ba'r; portion. 2; projecting;rearward] therefrom. and; the, anchorage" portion; pjii ofall'jiialtthched'lto the. diaW-Hargi" By theipin'Jiandmtomthe; car Ciimboltsfi.

The coupler; E 'isl alsoc lilflovidid" withlaiii cIo'n.-. necting.mearnsjncliidingjai conciiiitliiicbmlnuiiifiat mg, with! as b'rak'e.7mm" pressure nose -6@ carried by, car; (1 andifiirtlien has al.spring}, locki 1i l ieldjv nonmallyihiitsiloclfiingnbsitiom 'I'Iie malecouplen'mfcompifs'es iii genei aliai, head portion. I B witkiia;.seiiaiiatelii formed: di'aw liar. ILII connectedio and? projecting;re'aiwhrfi ly. from the. headl portionl0. inv axitilm alignment;therewith. and; rottable nehtiize. meme upon the. cormnon 1bngituchnol.vaxis ofl tkie... he'adl and;

draw-bar portions.v Tlieheadfis prQVidedL WitH;

aneintegrallyl' fbrmeditbng'u e" I liprojeotinglthei'lefromandl'fiaving;agcross'islotll 3;.

The; diam-Han Hi; isi-p vateny; aIttEcHedZ-to; uie;

car; D the; Bolts, 5?.

I'h'e head". pontion l of; the. femalecoupler Y withfia, flaringwpening[tarrangedito receive :the

necking V,

projecting tongue l'z; on the male li eadn The,

1mr abutment for the; melee head.

Pivotally mounted on the head I by a transverse pin 20 is the look Ihaving a cam 2| Fig. 14 held in looking position by a spring 22 andopened manually by means of a handle 23.

When the two couplers are brought together the cam 21 will beautomatically moved out of its locking rpositionby the tapered .nose onthe tongue l2"an-d.-'will be moved back 'into the-slot l3 by the spring22 when the couplers are in coupled relation thereby holding the headsin tight coupled relation.

The rear end of the draw-bar 2 is provided with two spaced lugs 24 whichflt between the lugs 25 on the anchorage plate 25. The lugs are providedwith registering openings for the pin 4 which permits radial movement ofthe coupler F in a horizontal plane.

The coupler F is provided with a centering link 21 positioned betweenthe lugs 24 and having a pivot 28 to-engage the bearing 29 and alsohaving'two fulcrums 3B bearing against the flange 3| on the anchorage .3when the coupler head F is in its normally central position as shown inFig.l3.

To effect the centering of the coupler F, the draw-bar v2 is providedwith a spring 32 held under compression between the fixed members 33 andthe bearing 29 and fixed guides 34 whereby the spring is furthercompressed when the coupler is moved from itscentered position therebyexerting increased pressure and moving the coupler to its centeredposition.

The conduit .6 is resiliently mounted on the upper side of head I of thefemale coupler so as to have limited longitudinal movement relative tosaid head. One end 36 of conduit 6 is shown threaded for connection tohose to and.

the other end is mounted in a guide 31 associated with flange I9 aboveopening I8 and is held in forward position with the outer or free end 38projecting beyond the face of the flange l9 of said head.

The guide 31 is provided with a flange 39 and the conduit with ashoulder 40 and a spring 4] is mounted under compression between thesaid flange and shoulder. The end 38 of .the conduit may be a removablerubber gasket.

When the couplersF and M are brought tog'ether in coupled orinterlocking relation, conduit 6 is moved backward against spring 4|through pressure upon end 38 by the counterpart conduit member inregister. therewith and carried by the connected coupler M.

The draw-bar H of the male coupler M is an elongated hollowcylinder-like. member (Fig. 10) with a pair of spaced lugs 45 at one endhaving registering openings Attherethrough to receive the pin [4 on theanchorage 3.

The anchorage 3 is constructed, arranged and attached to the clevis endof the draw-bar l l and to the car D as in the case of the anchorage 3and the like parts of the two anchorages are therefore numberedalike andfurther description thereof is probably unnecessary.

Mounted adjacent the free end of the drawbarl I is the head It! inrotatable relation thereto about the longitudinal axis X-X of. thedrawbar I! (Fig. 10). The portion 61. of .the draw-bar is provided withspaced shoulders 48 and 49 forming therebetween a'bea'ring U upon'whichthe head may rotate relative to the draw-bar! The head (Fig. 8) isprovided with two rearwardly extending arms 5! each'having a slot '52and together constitutin'ga shank.

Mounted on the bearing 50 between the shou1-' ders 48 and 49 is a splitcollar 53 (Figs. 6, 16, 17, 18) and which also engages the inner surfaceof the arms 5|, the collar portions are each provided with a slot 54which registers with the slots 52 and in which is positioned the key 55thereby locking the head I0 to the split collar 53 thereby, locking theheacl ;to the draw-bar H through the collar 53. i

The keys 55 extends only between the bolts 56. The bolts 56 hold theabove several parts together as in Fig. 6. The head It is also supportedby the end portion 51 of the draw-bar which is mounted in thecylindrical portion 58 of the head.

The air connecting mechanism comprising a conduit 58' made up of severalsegments cooperates with mechanism for effecting the centering of thehead and which comprises the centering link 59.positioned between thelugs 45 and having a pivot 60 which engages-the bearing BI and alsohaving two fulcrums 62 hearing against the flange 3| on the anchorage 3when the coupler head M is in its normally central position as shown inFig. 5. y

The bearing BI is associated with the segment or portion 63 of saidconduit 58 which projects forwardly and downwardly the latter extendingthrough the slot 64 in the draw-bar H. The slot 64 is sufliciently longto permit longitudinal movement of the portion 63 relative to thedrawbar.

The portion 63 has means at its lower end for attachment of a brakefluid pressure hose 63a carried by the car D and at the front horizontalend a threaded connector for attachment to a second conduit portion 65,its longitudinal axis corresponding to axis XX.

Projecting from the inner surface of the portion 5'! of the draw-bar arelugs 66 (Fig. 9) against which rests the flanged collar 61 and throughwhich projects loosely the portion of conduit 58. Between flanged collar61 and the enlarged portion of the portion 65 is positioned thecentering spring 68 which forces the conduit portions 53 and 55 and thecentering link rearwardly thereby to effect the centering of the malehead H) in the same manner as in case of the female head.

Associatedwith the male head] 6 and with the forward end of the conduitmember 55 is a third upstanding or upwardly extending conduit portion 69in slidable and rotatable relation thereto andsurrounding the extremeend of the portion 65, The lower end of portion 69 is constantly urgedrearwardly by. the spring i0 pressing against the recessed flange H andguided by the flange 12 (Fig. 8).

The said joint between the portions 65 and 59 is made airtight bythejoint packing 13 (Fig. 11). The portionjiil is guided and supported atits upper end by the removable plate. and flange 75.

The forward upper end of the portion 69 nor mally projects through anopening in the flange 16 which also acts as an abutment for the flange19 on the female coupler F. The portion 69 has a projecting free endportion I! usually of a resilient material arranged to engage the freeend 38 of the conduit 5 on the female coupler when two couplers are incoupled relation, in which case the portion 59 is moved rearwardlyagainst the spring 18. Portions l1 and 38, in other words, are inregister when heads I!) and l are disposed for interlocking engagementor are actually engaged.

Inorder to yielding'ly hold the male head it went-em;

5 m: position"? relativitoi it with the femaiexh'eadmbudesired-rtofdiimp ai coupiedi carg thei niaie'lheaiclij- 5 andzarsecondconduitfcai'riedrfbythe maie'head =stfapispring Sahel ror'war end of--raw barill SiIicetIfef ohdilitipoftiontt 'rdt'atesi' withithef head l0,it isnecessarytthatl ti'rotatesiirelative' toth'e ortion 6 5-' abou'tthe."aXis'X -;=X.

extending? through tlfezi-draw bar and communicatingewith 2a:segment:ofi'thefconductoi" means carried t by "said male head isaidconduits having":

resilient free?- end portions': projecting from the t wither? 1respective heads 'andi beingr in register. whereby" communication is-rautomatically established when the: liea'ds -movefiinto "saidinterlocking en'-' gageinent, :andssaidsecond conduit havingra por'tioniarotatab-lea relative -to the male head and r'ex- Having thusdescribed theifpresent invention? tehdfngiongitudinaiiyfiof thedraw-harand a porepaiiikoffcaivs equipped;- acoi pi *a'ssembIyv-fon' r2 andsimuitaneoosm? said shah-16* ortion, a female. new carried? at n, r

gz'engag'ei Whenetherheads 'aredisposedffor sa-i'd 'interi-ocking an endof" the o her" fo'i' interloclei 'ead', and' means connect the bee doare interlocked} sizid'frrinsccirhimsm con'ci'uifrcominiinicotine with'one oftii hbs'es 'a d carri'ed by thefemaIe' he'a'fl, and a 'seconditit c aii ied by the-finale hea" comfiitini'ti nfiwit- -th'otltierhijs said-cdndi'iits having ffeeen from the-"res'peetiv' lieadwheii the fieadshre ingene'ageinent, a a' portion rotatable =r1ati 2In'-'coin l )ination:witii Withfluid pr'essure -Hose jo'ining' thecarstog'ethe ai torn'atical]y connectin'g sai 'oises fi 1id-tig1itcommunicating" relatiomn said sembl'y' comiarisiiffg a dfaw-baipivotedito -an end ofjone" car, ai -m he c1" 11' in? eiongate shankportion se'ciired to tion about the longitudin' axis of saidishankeportion; as fer'riaie ihead ca dat an fend of thieothec-car 'for'finterlockingfe gagement'iwith saidrf ni'ale" heel and mam connecting?saidi hoses-1' wheir the eadsi 'ame intefiock d' compi-i'sin'giaj'cdtiomrsiiieritlyffixed: in"- position? relative to the maier-head z an'dcommunicatingly connecting-the free: endi portionof 'safd'second'conduit and said longitudinally extending-'1 portion.

4-11A caracoupl'er assembly comprising armaie headaa female? head for?interlockingengage mntfwith-:said-amaleaheadf a: conduit carriedxloythifemale head, ,and' -a's second conduit carried by? the-male 'headff01"i connection automatically and'ifiuidetightlyx With-the: firstconduit asfsaid" heads interlockin'gm engage; said conduits-haw irfgiffeeziendtiportions spacederfrom the lons'gitudinahaxis of the couplerassembly and-disposedin F regi'sten for saidc0mtnunica'tmg;- connectionengagement; said: second conduit comprising a phi raiityof segmentscommunieatin9;:with each othei', ,onetofi saidjsegmentsehaving portiondis coaxial? of? said assernbl'm, and; another of: saidsegmentsextending:transvefseiy ofthe said" assembly and connectingthQaforesaid-Segment to A saidt-freeszend pbntioni'of the?secondconduit:

5. A car couplen'a-ssembiy comprisingfadrawbiirgw ai males'head'havingian' elongated shank portion;- secured'" to? the draw -bar for rotation"-ab'b'ut iahei'long'itudinaleaxisrofrsaidshank portion;

. aafemale headifoifinterlocking? engagement-with wg mer; 5 said:maieeheady atconduiti carried by -the fezna-le heart: 1 and? a'GSBGOHG'? conduit:- extending: through the dliaw-bareandimaierhead' forconnection auto matically and fluid-tightly with the first-conduit as:said heads? are interlocking}? engaged; said macoxfduits-havingg freeend portions disposed in register for isaidcommunicating1connection-whentheheadszfare disposedrion'said interlocking engagemente6E:A:;ca1t-'coup1er:assembiy: comprising a: draw du'itc'omininice'tiiigl with fone of the hosescandi 5a'baif5 a male "head:having an elongated shank poittione se'eurede' to the? draw-bar forrotation aboiitt thesilong-itu'dinab ai is 01% said: shankportionq-aifemaieshead for- "interlockingii engagementwitli-isaidzmalmhead; a conduitr-carried by the respectivethea dsf:andi'being in register :=w'h'en- $1192" eoi fmale heady; and-2' a:second; conduit extending heads are"? disposed-for saideinteflocidngengagementj' and' said' secondficohdii it havingziaeportioni:rtjt'ataljle'Pre1ative totsaid'lrniafieflieadsang'iiexterrde inglongitudinally of the-draw-bar.

35 In' co'mbinationiwitii taneou'siy;- antomatiealiy connecting:dillctiflg means togethe 'iri' fiifid'=tigh*bi commimie eatingreiation"; said ass bar" pivoted-to end o a I one can, ailma'lee head?carried b'y the? diraw bar: to?! rotation; about are asfema leriheadicarv :"'car.a-fo1-:-iniierIoeki-n suhstantiaily liorizo'nta a" 0ththrough-the} draw-barfor: connection automatical'lyfi-uid-ztigh'tlyrwitlithe first-conduit as said heads intefl'oek-ing'lyengage said conduits hfiri'illQtlBfifiiEl'lfifl'fiCen'd'sportionsopening at the isterr for said: I communicating connectionwhen" theme-ads'iare': disposed; for saidinterlocking engager'n'ent;andeaid5second' conduit having a portion; rotatable;relative to" said. i'nale' head and y coinprisingfa draw? mextendinglongitudinally of the draw-ban and aipnrtion resiliently-rfixed im position; relative to th:mezleshead;and:communicatingiy:connecting"- tife fieeeen'ctzportionz'of; saidssecondr'conduit and V saidlongitudinallyextendingzportion; V v w fl-tiid inlet opening said: portion and"equipped with fluid pressure conduits, a coupler assembly for joiningthe cars together in fluidtight communicating relation, said assemblycomprising two interlocked couplers carried at the adjacent ends of thecoupled cars, one coupler having a shank portion and a head portionrotatable about the longitudinal axis of the shank portion, meansconnecting said fluid pressure conduits when the couplers areinterlocked, said equipped with fluid pressure conduits, a coupler'assembly for joining the cars together in fluidtight communicatingrelation, said assembly comprising two interlocked couplers carried at'the adjacent ends of the coupled cars, one coupler having a shankportion and a head portion rotatable about the longitudinal axis of theshank, portion, means connecting said fluid pressure conduits when thecouplers are interlocked, said means comprising fluid connectin meansassociated with each coupler and connecting the fluid pressure conduitson the coupled cars, the fluid connecting means opening onto thecoupling face of the respective couplers and being in register when thecouplers are interlocked, the fluid connecting means associated with onecoupler having two portions, the adjacent ends of the said two" portionsbeing telescopically arranged and movable longitudinally relative toeachother alon the longitudinal axis of the assembly.

9. A coupler assembly as set forth in claim 7 characterized by theadjacent ends of the said two fluid connecting means beingtelescopically arranged and movable longitudinally relative toeachother, and means associated with each portion of the fluid connectingmeans at their junc-' tion of movement to prevent leakage of fluid atsaid junction.

10. A car coupler assembly comprising a drawbar, a coupler head carriedby the draw-bar for rotation. about the longitudinal axis of the drawbarand adapted to interlock with a' companion head, a conduit carried bythe coupler head and a second conduit extending longitudinally throughthe draw-bar and having at one end a rotatable air-tight connection withthe first said conduit, means at the other end of the second conduit toreceive a fluid connection, the first said conduit having a resilientfree end portion opening at the forward face of the coupler head andarranged to register with an end portion opening at the forward face ofa companion coupler and form a fluid-tight engagement therewith.

ll. A car coupler assembly adapted to couple with a companion couplercomprising a coupler head, a rearwardly projecting draw-bar associated.with the coupler head, said coupler head being rotatable about thelongitudinal axis of the draw-bar, an anchor pivotally attached to oneend of the draw-bar for attachment to a car to support the head anddraw-bar from a car' and permit the head and draw-bar to pivot laterallyrelative to the anchor, means associated with the said end of thedraw-bar and with the an-' chorage, the said means including a centering8,. link as described and a longitudinally disposed spring pressedconduit member carried by the draw-bar in a longitudinally disposedrelation to the car when'uncoupled, means at one end of the conduitmember to attach to a fluid pressure connection, an upstanding conduitmember carried by the coupler 'head and having at one end a slidable androtatable air-tight connection with the other end of the first saidconduit member, the other end of the upstanding conduit member providedwith a resilient end portion having an opening associated with theforward face of the coupler head and arranged to register with a likeopening associated with the forward face on a companion coupler.

12. In combination with a pair of cars equipped: with fluid pressureconduits, a coupler assembly for joining the cars together andsimultaneously, automatically connecting said fluid pressure conduitstogether in fluid-tight communicating relation, said assembly comprisinga male head, a draw-bar connected to said head and pivoted toone car, afemale head carried by the other car for interlocking engagement withsaid male head, and means associated with each coupler head connectingsaid fluid pressure conduits when the heads are interlocked, said meanscomprising a conduit communicating with one of the fluid pressureconduits and carried by the female head, and a second conduit extendingthrough the draw-bar and communicating with the other fluid pressureconduit, said conduits each having resilient free end portions disposedin register for automatic communicating connection when the heads aremoved into said interlocking engagement, and said second conduitcomprising a plurality of segments including a separately formedintermediate segment disposed in the male head at an angle to twoadjacent segments and having an opening to receive an end portion of oneof said adjacent segments and a seat to engage the said adjacent elementslidably and fluid-tightly, said intermediate segment being rotatablerelative to'the cars about the coupler assembly longitudinal axis, andspring means in the male head maintaining said intermediate and adjacentsegments together fluid-tightly and, means associated with the maleheadresiliently opposing relative rotational motion of the male head andthe draw-bar.

13. A rotary car coupler comprisin a couplerhead, an inner coupler part,an outer coupler part adapted to couple with said coupler head and beingrotatably mounted on said inner coupler part for rotation through morethan degrees about a substantially horizontal axis, a nipple memberpositioned within the interior of said outer coupler part, a conduitextending from said nipple to the exterior of said outer coupler part,and a conduit carried by said inner coupler part and rotatably sealedwith respect to said nipple member to conduct a pressure medium throughthe inner coupler part to said nipple and passage.

14. A rotary car coupler comprising separable coupling heads ofdifierent construction, a shank portion projecting rearwardly from oneof said coupling heads, a draw-bar projecting into said shank portionand upon which said one coupling head is mounted for rotation throughmore than Qildegrees about a substantially horizontal axis, passagewaysin said one coupling head and in said draw-bar, and means connectingsaid passageways together substantially concentric with said axiswhereby, a pressure medium may flow ebetweemth massageway igaid-ggneaags mamg j zingesaiii connection aduringirotation-z ofzsaidwzonecouplingehead. 1

115. Airotaryecarzcouplericemprisinez narable air bar:ferrotmonstbreughEa ii ast lz s eesa out a;eubstan iailiseiiorizontalaaxs;47s

passageway carried by said one coupling head a second passageway carriedby said draw-bar, and sea l inginieans i connectingsardiitlrsteandesecond pa e waysswhile tuemmttinesr lat v rotationthereof, about said axis.

,I'6.",' In ,a haulage system ft'he combinatiomof 'a bair-fbf' carsr ed'ifluid ssure i lines unted'jthereonand'separable,cooperati "cou-,plerheadsteach'connectd to'a'car, attlea .Qne ecoupledheadand itsassociated car comprising in part a draw-bar upon which the coupler headis mounted for rotation about a substantially horizontal axis wherebysaid cars may while coupled rotate relative to each other about saidaxis, conduit means carried by said rotatable coupler head and theconnected draw-bar and connected, to the fluid pressure line of theassociated car, the conduit means of said rotatable head and associateddraw-bar including a rotatable seal positioned substantially concentricwith said axis.

17. In a haulage system the combination of a pair of cars provided withfluid pressure lines mounted thereon, a female coupler head carried byone car, a cooperating male coupler head carried by the other car andmounted for rotation about a substantially horizontal axis, conduitmeans carried by said male coupler and connected to the fluid pressureline of the associated car, a rotatable seal means included in the saidconduit means of the said rotatable coupler head and rotatable about anaxis substantially concentric with said horizontal axis.

18. A rotary car coupler comprising in com bination, a female couplerhead, a male coupler head adapted to couple with said female couplerhead, a draw-bar projecting into said male coupler head and supportingthe same for relative rotation about a substantially horizontal axis, anipple member formed on the interior of said male coupler head, apassage extending laterally outward from said nipple to the exterior ofsaid male coupler head, and a conduit carried bysaid draw-bar androtatably sealed with respect to said nipple member to conduct apressure medium through the draw-bar to the nipple and passage.

19. In an automatic railway coupling device, a coupler comprising a headand a draw-bar, a coupling therebetween accommodating relative rotationbetween the head and the draw-bar on the longitudinal axis of thedevice, a fluid conduit adapted for connection at a point spaced fro-msaid longitudinal axis to associated fluid conduit means comprising aportion in said head extending transversely of the coupler and a por:tion in said draw-bar, the adjacent ends of said portions in the headand draw-bar being arranged coaxially with said axis, and distortableresilient means compressed at said ends of the portions and affording afluid-tight flexible rotatable connection between said portions throughsaid coupling.

20. A railway car automatic coupling comprising mated couplers havingmeeting faces, one of said couplers comprising an integral head andshank, the latter being connected to one car I i l mothenea tbedyaandrrotatabl o me ruest-1, es wh l, -,e;h eads are. -;co,upled,Jihe u dt ea t-a a iothe ;co ple icma nis ne;a adwelemen andaa p stle wibaria a sdeed-taen etbmush sai ion between said lementsisu fluid-tight, rst leecennection between pad- ;1 ateendstef, .am nes-Mo s,a commo at ua 0- vme t =.--the iQ tween-ai el m nt V i a. ea ,e t ansm tt n re rt ieemether. emautemati ea wayacar qu e gcgmpri ing a draw-bar adapted forconnection to an associated car body, a head rotatably connected to saiddraw-bar for rotation on an axis extending longitudinally of thecoupler, conduit means comprising a portion carried by said head andextending transversely of the coupler in a vertical direction and aportion carried by said draw-bar arranged at adjacent ends coaxiallywith said axis, and a flexible, fluid-tight rotatable connection betweensaid ends accommodat- 539 ing rotation of said portions coincidentallywith the rotation between said head and draw-bar andgconnecting saidportions during said rotation.

22. In an automatic railway coupling device, a

coupler comprising a head for automatic mating with a companion head, adraw-bar adapted for connection to its associated car, a rotatableeonnection between the head and draw-bar, and a fluid conduit having aportion in the head and a portion in the draw-bar, and a fluid-tightrotatable connection between said portions coaxial with said axiswhereby relative rotation between said draw-bar and head will notdisconnect said portions. 7

i5 23; In a haulage system including a pair of cars equipped with fluidpressure hoses, a coupier assembly comprising a coupler head carried byeach car for interlocking engagement with each other to secure the carstogether in end to end relation, and a conduit carried by one couplerhead and communicating with one hose, the combination of a segmentedconduit carried by the other head and communicating with the other hoseand arranged to automatically engage and communicate with the otherconduit as the said heads move into coupled relation, said segmentedconduit including a segment rotatable relative to the cars about thecoupler assembly longitudinal axis and extending transversely of saidaxis and having an open end portion disposed substantially coaxially ofthe coupler assembly for communicating connection to the said other hoseand another open end portion spaced from said longitudinal axis forcommunicating engagement with the conduit carried by said one coupler.

24. In a haulage system including a pair of cars equipped with fluidpressure hoses, a coupler assembly comprising a coupler head carried byeach car for interlocking engagement with each other to secure thecars'together in end to end relation, a conduit carried by one couplerhead and communicating with one hose, and a drawbar connected to theother head and pivoted to the end of one of the cars, the combination ofa segmented conduit carried by the said other head and communicatingwith the other hose to engage and communicate with the other conduitwhen the said heads areinterlocked, said segmented conduit including asegment in communicating connection with said other hose and associatedwith and extending longitudinally of the draw bar for movementtherewith, and a second segment extending transversely of the couplerassembly for connection tothe conduit carried by said one coupler headand having an open end portion disposed substantially coaxial- 1y of thecoupler assembly for communicating engagement with the first segment. I

25. A railway car coupler comprising a first part to be connected to acar for limited sidewise swinging movement, a second part to beconnected non-rotatably to a coupler connected to another car, meansconnecting said first and 12 second parts for relative rotationalmovement through at least 120 about an axis extending longitudinally ofthe coupler, a fluid conduit connected to and movable with said firstpart, a fluid conduit connected to and. movable with said second partand means constituting a rotatable,

' fluid-tight connection between adjacent ends of said conduits andcoaxial with said longitudinal La-rsson Mar. 18, 1941

